‘Say I Do in Good Hope’ author Cindy Kirk on loving characters you love to hate

Cindy Kirk, whose Say I Do in Good Hope (Good Hope series book five) is new today, joins us to share how sometimes characters you love to hate can turn into characters you just plain love. (Note: I helped Cindy with the copy editing of this book.)

Cindy Kirk

Cindy: “I’m not going to read that book,” I told my friend when she raved about Blue-Eyed Devil by Lisa Kleypas. By the look on her face it was obvious she was stunned by my flat refusal to consider the book. Especially since I really loved Sugar Daddy, the previous one in the Travis series. Not to mention, up to this point, I’d always been willing to try a book she recommended because of our similar tastes in stories.

When she asked why I was so adamant about not reading the book, I told her. “I don’t like Hardy Cates.” Hardy was the “blue-eyed devil.” I’d been introduced to him in Sugar Daddy and formed a dislike of him based on his repugnant behavior. Despite the fact that she kept pushing the book, I had no interest in reading it. Until … several other friends also raved about the story.

The fact that I picked it up and gave it a chance speaks to the power of personal recommendations. I’m sure you figured out by now that I ended up LOVING the book. The author made me understand Hardy and his actions in a way not possible when he was a secondary character in the previous book. While I still didn’t approve of how he’d behaved, I understood the “why” behind his actions. And, as his story unfolded, I watched him learn and grow and became a hero worthy of that title. The truth is, I fell in love with Hardy in a way I wouldn’t have believed possible.

In my book, Say I Do in Good Hope, heroine Eliza Shaw is like Hardy Cates. She’s a character that justifiably many readers have loved to hate. I believe you’ll sense that in these comments from early five-star reviews on Goodreads:

“In previous Good Hope books Eliza was a character I didn’t really like. She came off as brusque and judgmental, sometimes just plain mean.” Marcia

“In previous books, Eliza has come off as a mean, standoffish person.” Julie

“I can honestly say I wasn’t holding out much hope for Eliza’s story as she was a character whom I disliked, she was domineering, overbearing & bossy.” Anita

Now, let’s look at comments from early reviewers AFTER reading the book:

“Having read all the previous Good Hope books, Eliza was not one of my favorite characters — to say the least. And I really didn’t think Cindy Kirk was going to come up with any type of story line that would change my mind. Boy she sure did prove me wrong!!!!!!!!!” Sue

“If you had told me that I would be looking forward to reading Eliza’s story after the first or second book in the series, I would have laughed at you.” Bandora

These before-and-after comments are very similar to what I could have written on Blue-Eyed Devil. And, like my experience with that book, for many readers, Say I Do in Good Hope ended up being their favorite book of the series.

What this says to me, whether it’s Hardy Cates in the Travis series, Eliza Shaw in the Good Hope series or even Presley in Brenda Novak’s Whiskey Creek series (another character that readers ended up loving), if someone tells you to give a book a chance, at least check it out.

I’m betting you’ll be happy you did!

About Say I Do in Good Hope:

Sometimes love is right on your doorstep…

Eliza Shaw has never met a crisis she couldn’t manage. If her father thinks she’s going to take his attempt at selling the family home out from underneath her, then he clearly doesn’t know her at all. She‘ll chain herself to the banister if she has to…

Kyle Kendrick doesn’t have time for the hassle of an eviction. He definitely doesn’t have time for Eliza Shaw’s drama – even if she does look distractingly gorgeous when she’s furious. His sister is arriving in Good Hope and he needs a home. Now.

Neither Kyle nor Eliza is thrilled at the idea of sharing the house, but it’s the only sensible solution. Now if they could each just stop fantasizing about their new roommate this crazy plan might just work. And if they’re lucky, what started out as playing house could end up giving them the home and family they’ve both desperately yearned for.